Charlotte, Dec. 3, 2012 — Law firm Winstead PC has made two prominent additions this month. Charles D. Lansden, formerly a partner at Katten Muchin, and Richard Fischel, formerly a director at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, have both joined Winstead’s real estate finance practice group.

Lansden represents financial clients in structuring and negotiating commercial mortgage loans, particularly those in the securitized lending market. He also handles traditional real estate matters in the leasing of office, retail and industrial properties, and he is active in the development of a covered bonds lending framework in the U.S. He received his J.D. with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Fischel represents lender clients in commercial mortgage loan origination, portfolio and whole loan sales, special servicing, loan modifications, workouts and foreclosures. Prior to Fischel's stint at BOA, he was an associate at Willkie Farr & Gallagher and in house counsel to the State Comptroller at the N.Y. State Common Retirement Fund. He received his J.D. from New York Law.

The Winstead Charlotte office opened in early 2010 and has enjoyed significant growth. The firm’s current attorney headcount is 15 with a total of 26 employees, including staff. Winstead, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, opened the Charlotte office to expand the firm’s practice with its large banking clients. Winstead’s real estate finance practice boasts a substantially high volume of CMBS loan work. Estimated closings for 2012 to be handled by Winstead attorneys will approach or exceed $10 billion.

Winstead PC (Winstead) is a national business law firm with over 300 attorneys in Texas, North Carolina, Louisiana and Washington, D.C. The firm provides a full range of business legal services to some of the most recognized and respected companies across the country and throughout the world. Winstead has offices in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and The Woodlands, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana, Charlotte, North Carolina and Washington, D.C. For detailed information about Winstead, visit www.winstead.com.